diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 9e0c88c..42383ea 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1658,7 +1658,7 @@ checksum = "09edd9e8b54e49e587e4f6295a7d29c3ea94d469cb40ab8ca70b288248a81db2"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "lesavka_client"
-version = "0.25.5"
+version = "0.26.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-stream",
@@ -1692,7 +1692,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "lesavka_common"
-version = "0.25.5"
+version = "0.26.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64",
@@ -1704,7 +1704,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "lesavka_server"
-version = "0.25.5"
+version = "0.26.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64",
diff --git a/client/Cargo.toml b/client/Cargo.toml
index b1cceda..3095742 100644
--- a/client/Cargo.toml
+++ b/client/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ path                    = "src/main.rs"
 
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_client"
-version                 = "0.25.5"
+version                 = "0.26.0"
 edition                 = "2024"
 
 [dependencies]
diff --git a/common/Cargo.toml b/common/Cargo.toml
index a8dcf82..36786b0 100644
--- a/common/Cargo.toml
+++ b/common/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_common"
-version                 = "0.25.5"
+version                 = "0.26.0"
 edition                 = "2024"
 build                   = "build.rs"
 
diff --git a/scripts/install/server.sh b/scripts/install/server.sh
index 9168503..cf7bcf3 100755
--- a/scripts/install/server.sh
+++ b/scripts/install/server.sh
@@ -104,7 +104,12 @@ if [[ "${REQUESTED_UVC_CODEC,,}" != "${INSTALL_UVC_CODEC}" ]]; then
   echo "⚠️  UVC gadget output codec '${REQUESTED_UVC_CODEC}' is not supported by the MJPEG UVC helper; using '${INSTALL_UVC_CODEC}' for the host-facing gadget."
   echo "   Use LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=hevc to choose HEVC for the client-to-server upstream transport."
 fi
-INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=$(normalize_cam_codec "${LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC:-${LESAVKA_CAM_CODEC:-mjpeg}}")
+INSTALL_CAM_CODEC_EXPLICIT=0
+if [[ -n "${LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC+x}" || -n "${LESAVKA_CAM_CODEC+x}" ]]; then
+  INSTALL_CAM_CODEC_EXPLICIT=1
+fi
+REQUESTED_CAM_CODEC=${LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC:-${LESAVKA_CAM_CODEC:-hevc}}
+INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=$(normalize_cam_codec "${REQUESTED_CAM_CODEC}")
 INSTALL_UPLINK_AUDIO_CODEC=${LESAVKA_INSTALL_UPLINK_AUDIO_CODEC:-${LESAVKA_UPLINK_AUDIO_CODEC:-pcm}}
 INSTALL_UVC_FRAME_META=${LESAVKA_INSTALL_UVC_FRAME_META:-${LESAVKA_UVC_FRAME_META:-0}}
 INSTALL_UVC_FRAME_META_LOG_PATH=${LESAVKA_INSTALL_UVC_FRAME_META_LOG_PATH:-${LESAVKA_UVC_FRAME_META_LOG_PATH:-/tmp/lesavka-uvc-frame-meta.jsonl}}
@@ -259,6 +264,11 @@ ensure_hevc_decode_support() {
   else
     echo "❌ no hardware HEVC decoder exposed to GStreamer; Lesavka will not fall back to avdec_h265 in production." >&2
     if [[ "$INSTALL_UVC_CODEC" == "hevc" || "$INSTALL_CAM_CODEC" == "hevc" ]]; then
+      if [[ "$INSTALL_CAM_CODEC" == "hevc" && "$INSTALL_CAM_CODEC_EXPLICIT" == "0" ]]; then
+        echo "   Default HEVC upstream cannot be proven on this host; falling back to MJPEG ingress." >&2
+        INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=mjpeg
+        return 0
+      fi
       echo "   Install/repair v4l2slh265dec or set LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=mjpeg before running the server installer." >&2
       exit 1
     fi
@@ -278,6 +288,14 @@ ensure_hevc_decode_support() {
       echo "✅  hardware HEVC decoder passed a real 1280x720 decode smoke: $hevc_decoder"
     else
       if [[ "$INSTALL_CAM_CODEC" == "hevc" ]]; then
+        if [[ "$INSTALL_CAM_CODEC_EXPLICIT" == "0" ]]; then
+          echo "⚠️  hardware HEVC decoder is exposed but the synthetic 1280x720 decode smoke failed: $hevc_decoder" >&2
+          echo "   smoke log: $hevc_smoke_log" >&2
+          sed -n '1,120p' "$hevc_smoke_log" >&2 || true
+          echo "   Default HEVC upstream cannot be proven on this host; falling back to MJPEG ingress." >&2
+          INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=mjpeg
+          return 0
+        fi
         echo "❌ hardware HEVC decoder is exposed but failed a real 1280x720 decode smoke: $hevc_decoder" >&2
         echo "   smoke log: $hevc_smoke_log" >&2
         sed -n '1,120p' "$hevc_smoke_log" >&2 || true
@@ -1647,7 +1665,7 @@ SERVER_ENV_TMP=$(mktemp)
   printf 'LESAVKA_UVC_HEVC_DECODE_MISS_LIMIT=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UVC_HEVC_DECODE_MISS_LIMIT:-15}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE:-1}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_JPEG_QUALITY=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_JPEG_QUALITY:-60}"
-  printf 'LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_PULL_TIMEOUT_MS=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_PULL_TIMEOUT_MS:-25}"
+  printf 'LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_PULL_TIMEOUT_MS=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_PULL_TIMEOUT_MS:-50}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_MISS_LIMIT=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_MISS_LIMIT:-30}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_RSS_LIMIT_MB=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_RSS_LIMIT_MB:-384}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_VISUAL_GUARD=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_VISUAL_GUARD:-1}"
diff --git a/server/Cargo.toml b/server/Cargo.toml
index 5861cf5..7eb7429 100644
--- a/server/Cargo.toml
+++ b/server/Cargo.toml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ bench                   = false
 
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_server"
-version                 = "0.25.5"
+version                 = "0.26.0"
 edition                 = "2024"
 autobins                = false
 
diff --git a/server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard.rs b/server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard.rs
index fe7b1af..b87c3a3 100644
--- a/server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard.rs
+++ b/server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ const DEFAULT_DIRECT_MJPEG_MIN_REFERENCE_BYTES: u32 = 48 * 1024;
 const DEFAULT_DIRECT_MJPEG_PROFILE_MISMATCH_REJECT: bool = false;
 const DEFAULT_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE: bool = true;
 const DEFAULT_DIRECT_MJPEG_JPEG_QUALITY: u32 = 60;
-const DEFAULT_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_PULL_TIMEOUT_MS: u32 = 25;
+const DEFAULT_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_PULL_TIMEOUT_MS: u32 = 50;
 const DEFAULT_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_MISS_LIMIT: u32 = 30;
 const DEFAULT_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_RSS_LIMIT_MB: u32 = 384;
 
diff --git a/server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard/tests.rs b/server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard/tests.rs
index ccc2e1b..ac907e7 100644
--- a/server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard/tests.rs
+++ b/server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard/tests.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ fn direct_mjpeg_normalization_defaults_on_and_clamps_tuning() {
         || {
             assert!(super::direct_mjpeg_normalize_enabled());
             assert_eq!(super::direct_mjpeg_jpeg_quality(), 60);
-            assert_eq!(super::direct_mjpeg_normalize_pull_timeout_ms(), 25);
+            assert_eq!(super::direct_mjpeg_normalize_pull_timeout_ms(), 50);
             assert_eq!(super::direct_mjpeg_normalize_miss_limit(), 30);
             assert_eq!(
                 super::direct_mjpeg_normalize_rss_limit_kb(),
diff --git a/server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink/frame_handoff.rs b/server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink/frame_handoff.rs
index dc018d9..c30c31a 100644
--- a/server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink/frame_handoff.rs
+++ b/server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink/frame_handoff.rs
@@ -229,7 +229,13 @@ impl WebcamSink {
             return;
         }
 
-        let buf = gst::Buffer::from_slice(pkt.data.clone());
+        let mut buf = gst::Buffer::from_slice(pkt.data.clone());
+        if let Some(meta) = buf.get_mut() {
+            let ts = gst::ClockTime::from_useconds(pkt.pts);
+            meta.set_pts(Some(ts));
+            meta.set_dts(Some(ts));
+            meta.set_duration(Some(gst::ClockTime::from_useconds(self.frame_step_us)));
+        }
         if let Err(err) = src.push_buffer(buf) {
             tracing::warn!(
                 target:"lesavka_server::video",
diff --git a/server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink/tests.rs b/server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink/tests.rs
index 1627d00..dafa618 100644
--- a/server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink/tests.rs
+++ b/server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink/tests.rs
@@ -176,3 +176,30 @@ fn webcam_bus_watch_stops_promptly_on_drop() {
         "webcam bus watcher should not outlive dropped webcam sinks"
     );
 }
+
+#[cfg(not(coverage))]
+#[test]
+fn direct_mjpeg_normalizer_branch_reencodes_a_valid_frame() {
+    use gstreamer as gst;
+    use gstreamer::prelude::ElementExt;
+
+    const FIXTURE: &[u8] = include_bytes!("../../bin/lesavka_uvc/idle_1280x720_black.jpg");
+
+    gst::init().expect("gstreamer init");
+    let pipeline = gst::Pipeline::new();
+    let (src, sink) = super::build_direct_mjpeg_normalize_branch(&pipeline, 1280, 720, 30)
+        .expect("normalizer branch");
+    pipeline
+        .set_state(gst::State::Playing)
+        .expect("normalizer pipeline playing");
+
+    src.push_buffer(gst::Buffer::from_slice(FIXTURE))
+        .expect("push fixture");
+    let sample = super::freshest_direct_mjpeg_sample(&sink).expect("normalized sample");
+    let buffer = sample.buffer().expect("sample buffer");
+    let map = buffer.map_readable().expect("readable normalized buffer");
+
+    assert!(map.as_slice().starts_with(&[0xff, 0xd8, 0xff]));
+    assert!(map.as_slice().ends_with(&[0xff, 0xd9]));
+    pipeline.set_state(gst::State::Null).ok();
+}
diff --git a/tests/contract/scripts/install/server_install_script_contract.rs b/tests/contract/scripts/install/server_install_script_contract.rs
index ddcae7e..b25773a 100644
--- a/tests/contract/scripts/install/server_install_script_contract.rs
+++ b/tests/contract/scripts/install/server_install_script_contract.rs
@@ -84,9 +84,16 @@ fn server_install_pins_hdmi_camera_and_display_defaults() {
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_CAM_FPS:-30}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_OUTPUT:-uvc}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("normalize_cam_codec()"));
-    assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains(
-        "INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=$(normalize_cam_codec \"${LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC:-${LESAVKA_CAM_CODEC:-mjpeg}}\")"
-    ));
+    assert!(
+        SERVER_INSTALL.contains(
+            "REQUESTED_CAM_CODEC=${LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC:-${LESAVKA_CAM_CODEC:-hevc}}"
+        )
+    );
+    assert!(
+        SERVER_INSTALL
+            .contains("INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=$(normalize_cam_codec \"${REQUESTED_CAM_CODEC}\")")
+    );
+    assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("INSTALL_CAM_CODEC_EXPLICIT=0"));
     assert!(
         SERVER_INSTALL
             .contains("${LESAVKA_INSTALL_UPLINK_AUDIO_CODEC:-${LESAVKA_UPLINK_AUDIO_CODEC:-pcm}}")
@@ -194,7 +201,7 @@ fn server_install_pins_hdmi_camera_and_display_defaults() {
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_HEVC_DECODE_MISS_LIMIT:-15}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE:-1}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_JPEG_QUALITY:-60}"));
-    assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_PULL_TIMEOUT_MS:-25}"));
+    assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_PULL_TIMEOUT_MS:-50}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_MISS_LIMIT:-30}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_RSS_LIMIT_MB:-384}"));
     assert!(
@@ -279,8 +286,9 @@ fn server_install_pins_hdmi_camera_and_display_defaults() {
     );
     assert!(
         SERVER_INSTALL.contains("Refusing HEVC upstream install because production video decode must be hardware-accelerated and proven")
-            && SERVER_INSTALL.contains("Use LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=mjpeg while the HEVC decoder stack is repaired"),
-        "explicit HEVC installs should fail loud instead of producing a black UVC webcam feed"
+            && SERVER_INSTALL.contains("Use LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=mjpeg while the HEVC decoder stack is repaired")
+            && SERVER_INSTALL.contains("Default HEVC upstream cannot be proven on this host; falling back to MJPEG ingress."),
+        "explicit HEVC installs should fail loud while default HEVC installs can safely fall back"
     );
     assert!(
         !SERVER_INSTALL
diff --git a/tests/regression/install/install_preserves_codec_settings_contract.rs b/tests/regression/install/install_preserves_codec_settings_contract.rs
index cc06bd7..555c3b6 100644
--- a/tests/regression/install/install_preserves_codec_settings_contract.rs
+++ b/tests/regression/install/install_preserves_codec_settings_contract.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 // Regression contract for preserving codec settings across upgrades.
 //
-// Scope: keep safe MJPEG ingress and MJPEG UVC output defaults explicit, while still
-// allowing operator-provided install overrides.
+// Scope: keep safe HEVC/MJPEG ingress selection and MJPEG UVC output defaults
+// explicit, while still allowing operator-provided install overrides.
 // Targets: server/client install scripts and client camera capture defaults.
 // Why: Lesavka now supports both MJPEG and HEVC upstream media, and installer
-// reruns must not silently select a HEVC profile that produces black frames
-// when hardware decode is not proven.
+// reruns may prefer HEVC only when hardware decode is proven, and must fall
+// back to MJPEG instead of producing black frames when it is not.
 
 const SERVER_INSTALL: &str = include_str!(concat!(
     env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"),
@@ -17,14 +17,17 @@ const CLIENT_CAMERA: &str = include_str!(concat!(
 ));
 
 #[test]
-fn server_install_defaults_to_mjpeg_ingress_and_mjpeg_uvc_output() {
+fn server_install_defaults_to_hevc_ingress_with_mjpeg_fallback_and_mjpeg_uvc_output() {
     for marker in [
         "PERSISTED_UVC_CODEC=$(persisted_uvc_value LESAVKA_UVC_CODEC || true)",
         "normalize_uvc_codec()",
         "normalize_cam_codec()",
         "REQUESTED_UVC_CODEC=${LESAVKA_INSTALL_UVC_CODEC:-${PERSISTED_UVC_CODEC:-mjpeg}}",
         "INSTALL_UVC_CODEC=$(normalize_uvc_codec \"$REQUESTED_UVC_CODEC\")",
-        "INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=$(normalize_cam_codec \"${LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC:-${LESAVKA_CAM_CODEC:-mjpeg}}\")",
+        "REQUESTED_CAM_CODEC=${LESAVKA_INSTALL_CAM_CODEC:-${LESAVKA_CAM_CODEC:-hevc}}",
+        "INSTALL_CAM_CODEC=$(normalize_cam_codec \"${REQUESTED_CAM_CODEC}\")",
+        "INSTALL_CAM_CODEC_EXPLICIT=0",
+        "Default HEVC upstream cannot be proven on this host; falling back to MJPEG ingress.",
         "printf 'LESAVKA_CAM_CODEC=%s\\n' \"${INSTALL_CAM_CODEC}\"",
         "printf 'LESAVKA_UVC_CODEC=%s\\n' \"${INSTALL_UVC_CODEC}\"",
         "\"LESAVKA_UVC_CODEC=${INSTALL_UVC_CODEC}\"",
diff --git a/tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs b/tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs
index 5b764fc..166ee0e 100644
--- a/tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs
+++ b/tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ fn installer_keeps_the_native_normalizer_memory_bounded_by_default() {
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE:-1}"));
     assert!(!SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE:-0}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_RSS_LIMIT_MB:-384}"));
+    assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_PULL_TIMEOUT_MS:-50}"));
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -161,6 +162,15 @@ fn opt_in_normalizer_has_rss_fuse_before_per_frame_gstreamer_allocation() {
         "direct_mjpeg_normalize_rss_limit_kb()",
         "gst::Buffer::from_slice(pkt.data.clone())",
     );
+    let normalizer_push = WEBCAM_FRAME_HANDOFF
+        .split("gst::Buffer::from_slice(pkt.data.clone())")
+        .nth(1)
+        .expect("direct normalizer buffer allocation block");
+    assert_ordered(
+        normalizer_push,
+        "meta.set_duration(Some(gst::ClockTime::from_useconds(self.frame_step_us)))",
+        "src.push_buffer(buf)",
+    );
 }
 
 #[test]